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The distant sound of a cow mooing accompanies my morning latte. Low, and bellowing, another answers its call. Then another. To my left, a male foal—chocolate in colour with a white streak between his eyes like Bowie, and all of two days old—is wobbling by his mother’s side. Birds are chirping. Tree leaves rustle ever so slightly in the AM draft. Yes, set against the undulating hills of New South Wales’ Hunter region, these are the sounds that help gently assimilate city-weary souls into the rhythms of Australian farm life: Slow. Peaceful. A pace and place to reconnect with family, friends and oneself.
It’s called Wallaringa Farm, a modern luxury home situated on a sprawling 750-acre farm in the heart of the Hunter Valley. Just two-hours and 45-minutes from Sydney, it’s built for guests to enjoy its bush vistas—and made for those accustomed to a glass of red by a fire pit at sunset. For the journey, myself and my two best girlfriends picked up a Toyota Corolla Hatch, the stylish and uber comfortable best-selling passenger car.
The drive from Sydney
It’s Friday afternoon and it is pelting down with rain. Nothing felt as freeing as the moment we made it through the Sydney traffic, and popped onto the M1 Pacific Motorway—a transition made with far less anxiety thanks to the car’s navigation system and blind spot monitor (and made far more enjoyable thanks to Dua Lipa’s cameo across the six-speaker multimedia system). The Corolla’s windscreen-mounted camera also recognises speed-limit signs and alerts the driver—a first for a Toyota model in Australia. Weekend, here we come.
As we turn off onto a three-kilometre dirt road, the sun is setting behind the mountains, its last rays pattering the paddocks with a smattering of cows and horses. The car’s high beam lights switch on automatically, an essential in this kangaroo-populated part of the land. Just under three hours since we left the city, and at the end of a winding road, we reach the farmhouse.
Find out more about the features of the Toyota Corolla Hatch here.
A Modern Home With Bush Vistas
This modern three-bedroom, two-bathroom farmhouse exudes a sense of calm from the moment you walk in: Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the stunning property and its animals. A fireplace with kindling and matches is at the ready. There’s a checkerboard, a record player, a Japanese bathtub, and a book titled Life Unhurried is purposefully placed on a small stand in the lounge room.
The open-plan living area is one of the most beautiful I’ve experienced. A designer wood-burning fireplace centres the room with the aforementioned windows either side. A gourmet chef’s kitchen, complete with a real coffee machine, is perfect if you are staying multiple nights and want to cook up a feast to serve at the long, farmhouse-style dining table.
There’s a large veranda out the back, too—amazing for morning Pilates—and in lieu of an old rocking chair, there’s four, comfortable deck seats. A gas BBQ is available, but the star attraction of this property is the outdoor fire pit. No matter if it’s summer or winter, the fire pit looks out over the rolling hills, and quickly became our favourite spot to chat, laugh and drink (very good) local wine.
Things To Do & Explore
On recommendation from the property, we visited Settlers Arms—a classic Australian pub with a very casual vibe—for a delicious chicken schnitzel and chips. We loved The Barn in Dungog—just a 20-minute drive from the house—for coffee and eggs in the morning, and we visited Boydell’s Cellar Door and Restaurant in the historic village of Morpeth for a wine tasting and lunch. This modern, rustic establishment offers delicious seasonal local produce and, interestingly, Boydell’s is arguably the site of the very first vineyard in the Hunter Valley! Settled in 1826 by Welshman Charles Boydell, it’s a must-visit if you want a more upper-class experience than the local pub. The wine is great too. Try the 2022 Estate Chardonnay if you’re a chardy girl, like me. Highly recommend! (There’s parking on site, too. And despite our car feeling spacious on the inside, it’s quite small, meaning we can get into tight spaces, with the help of the reverse parking camera, of course.)
One my friends on this little getaway, Gyan Yankovich, has just written her first book. It’s called Just Friends and is about how friendship can enrich every part of our lives. Friendships, she says, are often undervalued in society, always coming second to family and romantic partners. It comes out in January 2024, and this weekend away marked the end of Gyan’s rigorous editing process.
As the sun set later that Saturday evening and the stars began to brighten the navy sky, the three of us sat out with a cheese and charcuterie board—selections we’d picked up at the local markets in Dungog earlier that morning—and bottle of wine from Boydell’s, and we cheers-ed to more than a decade of friendship, the cows singing us out.
To Slower Escapes
The drive home was an easy one. Perhaps it was because we were all in a more calm state of mine. Melting into the buttery leather seats, the car’s navigation system talks us through the journey home. (Its keyless smart entry, too, made it easy when packing up the remnants of a weekend away.)
If you feel like a slow-paced weekend getaway, check out Stay In The Bush, a beautifully curated directory of rural accommodation—and where we found Wallaringa Farm. Wandering inland is a wonderful way to give back to Australian rural communities. Not only will you leave your imprint on them, but the bush—in all its distinct sounds—will leave a lasting impression on you.
To investing in slower getaway, and taking time to reflect on the close relationships in our lives.
Find out more about the features of the Toyota Corolla Hatch here.
